Boat cover



Dec. 18 1945. v F. D. BURNS BOAT COVER Filed July 22, 1944 Patented Dec.is, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE BOAT COVER Frank D. Burns,Muskegon, Mich.

Application July 22, 1944, Serial No. 546,140

9 Claims.

This invention relates to boat covers and more particularly to removablecovers of canvas or the like for small boats such as lifeboats, sailboats, etc.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a boat cover which maybe easily and quickly installed and removed and which may be stored in asmall space when not in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a boat cover which isVsupported above the boat when in use without the necessity forsupporting frame parts extending from side to side or from end to end ofthe boat.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a boat cover whichis capable of contraction and expansion while remaining tight at alltimes to prevent the formation of water pockets.

A still further object is to provide a boat cover in which the centralcover portion is resiliently held elevated above the top of the boat.

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will be morereadily apparent from the following description when read in connectionwith the accompanying drawing, in Which- Figure 1 is a perspective Viewof a boat covered according to the invention with parts of the coverbroken away;

Figure 2 is a partial section of the cover on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;and

Figures 3 and 4 are perspective views of alternative forms of supportingmembers. Y

The cover as shown in Figure 1, is adapted to cover a small skiif or thelike, having a hull II] provided with one or more transversely extendingseats II. The top of the hull is open as shown, and terminates in anupper edge I2 which may be beaded or ared, if desired.

The cover comprises a sheet of canvas or like flexible material I3 of asize and shape to fit over the top of a boat with its edge portion shownat I4, extending partially over the sides of the boat. At one or morepoints in the edge of the cover, tie cords I may be provided to draw theedge of the cover tightly against the sides of the boat to secure theperiphery of the cover thereto. In the case of a boat having a flared orbeaded edge, it will be understood that the edge portion I4 of the coverextends over the beaded or ilared portion and is drawn tight beneath itby the tie cords I5 so that the cover is held securely in place.

In the central part of the cover preferably on the inner side thereof, apocket is provided formed by a separate sheet I6 of canvas or the likestitched around its edges to the main cover sheet I3. This pocket isrelatively short and narrow compared to the dimensions of the cover,preferably being in approximately the proportions indicated in Figure 1.A stiffening member in the form of a Wooden plank or the like I1 issecured in the pocket and carries a fastening member shown as a hook I8projecting toward the inside of the boat. v

In order to hold the central part of the cover elevated a resilientsupporting member is provided acting between the central part of theboat and the stiffening member I1. As shown in Figures 1 and 2 thesupporting member comprises a vcoil spring I9 formed at its lower endwith a hook portion 2I to hook over the edge of the central seat I I tosecure the spring thereto. The upper end of the spring is adapted to tover the hook I8 which may, if preferred, be hooked into one or more ofthe top coils of the spring.

With this construction the cover may easily be installed by connectingthe lower end of the spring to the central spring in the boat,connecting the upper end of the spring to the hook I8, drawing the coverover the edges of the boat and fastening the tie cords I5. With thecover installed in this manner, any expansion or contraction due tohumidity or temperature changes is readily accommodated by the springwhich maintains the cover tight at all times so that no water pocketsWill form therein. To remove the cover, the tie cords I5 may be loosenedand the spring I9 may be detached from the seat. The cover may easily befolded into a small package for ready storage in the boat.

Instead of the coil spring I9, various other types of resilientsupporting members may be employed. One such member is shown in Figure 3comprising an elongated spring Wire 22 bent in a general U-shape withhook portions 23 at its ends to hook over the seat II. In use, the hookI8 on the cover may be hooked over the upstanding central part of thespring to hold the cover in pla-ce in substantially the same manner asthe coil spring I9.

An alternative form of supporting member is shown in Figure 4 comprisinga clamp portion 24 adapted to t over the edge of the seat I I and to besecured thereto by a screw 25. An angular arm 2B extends up from theclamp portion at an acute angle to the seat and is formed at its upperend with an eye 21 to receive the hook I8. A member of this typeprovides sufficient resiliency for ordinary purposes and can be formedof metal, wood 0r other materials.

.While several embodiments of the invention have been shown anddescribed in detail herein, it will be understood that these areillustrative only and are =not intended as a definition of the `scope ofthe invention, reference being had for that purpose to the appendedclaims.

What is claimed is:

1. A boat cover comprising a flexible sheet adapted to overlie a boatand to be fastened at its edge portion to the boat, and resilient meansengaging the cover in its central portion and adapted to engage acentral part of the boat to hold the central portion of the coverelevated.

2. A boat cover comprising a flexible sheet adapted to overlie a boatand to be fastened at its edge portion to the boat, a stiffening membercarried by the central part of the cover which is substantially shorterand narrower than the boat, and a support engageable at its lower endwith the boat in a central part thereof and at its upper end engageablewith the stiffening member to hold the stiilening member and the centralpart of the cover elevated.

3. A boat cover comprising a exible sheet adapted to overlie a boat andto be fastened at its edge portion to the boat, a stiffening inembercarried by the central part of the cover which is substantially shorterand narrower than the boat, and a spring member engaging the centralpart of the boatl at its lower end and engaging the stiffening member atits upper end to hold the stiifening member and the central part of thecover elevated.

4. A boat cover comprising a. flexible sheet adapted to overlie a boatand to be fastened at its edge portion to the boat, a stiffening membercarried by the central part of the cover which is substantially shorterand narrower than the boat,

and an elongated bent spring member formed at its ends with hookportions to hook over a central seat in the boat with its central partextending above the seat to engage the stitening member and hold itelevated.

6. A boat cover comprising a flexible sheet adapted to overlie a boatand to be fastened at its edge portion to the boat, a stiffening membercarried by the central part of the cover which is substantially shorterand narrower than the boat. and an elongated supporting member having aclamp at one end to clamp to a central seat in the boat, the supportingmember extending at an angle above the seat and engaging the stiffeningmember and hold it elevated.

-7. A boat cover comprising a flexible sheet adapted to overlie a boatand to be fastened at its edge portion to the boat, a stiiening membercarried by the central part of the cover which is substantially shorterand narrower th-an the boatI a hook carried by the stiilening` memberand projecting downward therefrom when the cover is installed on a boat,and a supporting member connectable at one end to the central part ofthe boat and at its other end to said hook to hold the cover elevated.

8. A boat covercomprising a. flexible sheet adapted to overlie a boatwith its edge portions extending partially over the sides of the boat,cords connected to the edges of the sheet to fasten its edge portionsaround the upper edge of the boat, and a resilient supporting memberengaging the central part of the boat; and the central part of the sheetto hold the central part of the sheet elevated.

-9. A boat cover comprising a flexible sheet adapted to overlie a boatwith its edge portions extending partially over the sides of the boat,cords connected to the edges of the sheet to fasten its edge portionsaround the upper edge of the boat; the central part of the sheet beingformed with a pocket which is small relative to the size of the sheet, aat stiiening member in the pocket, and a resilient supportingmemberengaging the central part of the boat and the stifening member to holdthe stift'ening member and the central part of the sheet elevated.

FRANK D. BURNS.

